Matty said that my lovely state of NJ had requested that Matty collect sales tax. While I was on hold, I looked about online and saw that indeed NJ now wants sales tax levied on internet orders. However, I managed to get the tax removed from the shipping portion, as I am certain that tax only applies towards actual products purchased.

Actually, Mattel was charging you correctly according to the law -but it is due to the greed of DR. *Shipping charges are not taxable, but handling charges ARE taxable.*If handling charges are not listed separately (itemized) from the shipping charges, then tax must be collected on the whole cost of Shipping and Handling.

Thus you are getting taxed on both shipping and handling because DR fails to itemize how much of that shipping and handling actually goes to "handling" (i.e. DR's service fee).

Matty said that my lovely state of NJ had requested that Matty collect sales tax. While I was on hold, I looked about online and saw that indeed NJ now wants sales tax levied on internet orders. However, I managed to get the tax removed from the shipping portion, as I am certain that tax only applies towards actual products purchased. Still, it's a major PITA. Now, Matty does not have a DS here in NJ, nor do they have any outlets or warehouses. Basically, they have zero direct brick-and-mortar space here in NJ.

As for Amazon, just wait. We're going to be taxed on their orders starting in July 2013. This is, in effect, a move designed to 'negate' Amazon's and other internet-based retail operations so-called unfair advantage of having lower prices. Something that their direct competitors claim to uphold on a daily basis(Walmart)

Yeah, I knew that day was coming. Better enjoy one last x-mas of online purchasing! NJ does suck for many reasons. Hopefully we will see this state straightened out in our lifetime.

As for Matty straightening out, i gotta say, I was in and out in 5 minutes and that was at 12:00 on the dot.

No. It's always been MOTU hence the, "and of course it's Spikor" remark.Unless Mongul was made in some excessively small run I wouldn't expect to see him "sell out" until just before the next mid-month sale. I really wouldn't have expected it to be any of the DC products or Arn Anderson either for that matter.

Yeah so it took like 3-4 minutes for me (usually I have never had an issue with matty's site.) But tax now huh? I usually used to pay 38 something now it is 40.76 (not a huge amount difference, and I am not whining... I just found it interesting.) Anyways, I am glad I am only buying 2 of these 3-packs. While I am happy Mattel is releasing these for us, (thanks Mattel.) I still am not fond of paying 40 bucks for one figure, essentially the other two figures are worthless IMO... So I will probably give them to my nieces or nephews or if I start customizing again... the parts bin.

Spikor is "almost gone" but that is the only figure with any sort of tag on it.

Got to be disappointing to Mattel that their toys didn't sell out in under an hour >gasp! shock! horror! <

How many people, I wonder, are thinking they are going to wait for the SDCC items to go up so they can combine shipping only to find that Matty pulls all these items down because "they don't have room"?

How many people, I wonder, are thinking they are going to wait for the SDCC items to go up so they can combine shipping only to find that Matty pulls all these items down because "they don't have room"?

Actually, Mattel was charging you correctly according to the law -but it is due to the greed of DR. *Shipping charges are not taxable, but handling charges ARE taxable.*If handling charges are not listed separately (itemized) from the shipping charges, then tax must be collected on the whole cost of Shipping and Handling.

Thus you are getting taxed on both shipping and handling because DR fails to itemize how much of that shipping and handling actually goes to "handling" (i.e. DR's service fee).

It seems unfair, but technically they are following the law.

It's not greed, Canary. As you stated, it's the law.

All tax revenue collected by DR (or any other retailer) is turned over to local and state governments.